Head coach Johan Ackermann is able to select full-back Jason Woodward for the first time since mid-November and include fly-half Owen Williams in his matchday 23 for the first time this season following a knee injury for the home Gallagher Premiership derby with Bath Rugby on Saturday.

Gloucester are currently in second place in Pool 5, nine points behind Toulouse and only one ahead of Connacht Rugby, who also welcome back a key player after injury on Saturday in second-row forward Gavin Thornbury.

Thornbury, sidelined by an arm injury since the end of October, returns at runaway Pool 1 leaders Leinster Rugby in the Guinness PRO14 - a week before Connacht play host to Toulouse in Round 5.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors player/coach Petrus du Plessis is in line to make his first appearance of the season for the Scottish side, after being named among the replacements for their Guinness PRO 14 game at Benetton Rugby on Saturday.

The 38-year-old South African prop is a two-time European champion, having won the Champions Cup with Saracens in 2016 and 2017.

Glasgow head coach Dave Rennie, whose team are 10 points behind Pool 2 pacesetters Exeter Chiefs in second place and entertain them next Saturday, also selects lock Andrew Davidson for the first time since October.

As for Exeter, director of rugby Rob Baxter gives Argentina prop Enrique Pieretto his Chiefs debut in their Gallagher Premiership trip to London Irish on Saturday.

With Gloucester Rugby just over a week away from their important Heineken Champions Cup Round 5 tie at home to Montpellier, they have received a double boost.